After a shocking brain cancer diagnosis, transformative care and a path forward

May 14, 2026

Swedish Neuroscience Team

[3 min read]

Emily's friends noticed concerning changes in her behavior, and after she fell tying her shoes she agreed to see her primary care doctor for a check-up.
The visit revealed that a brain tumor, which was causing her balance issues, slurred speech and other issues.
Within 24 hours, she found herself in an operating room at Providence Swedish Cherry Hill with neurosurgeon Charles S. Cobbs, M.D., of the Ben and Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment.
The generosity of Swedish Foundation helped save Emily's life and makes this advanced care at Swedish possible.

After facing a life-altering brain tumor, this patient discovered clarity, gratitude, and a mission to support the research that guided her care. Today, her philanthropy is helping advance brain tumor treatment for the next person who walks through Providence Swedish’s doors.

For Emily — a pseudonym we’re using to protect her identity at her request — the early signs of her brain tumor began subtly. Once, she fell while tying her shoes. Others noted how her handwriting had changed and that her speech slurred. Emily’s close friends quietly worried about her.

What Emily didn’t yet know, what she couldn’t know, was that this frightening stretch would not only bring her the answers she sought but would inspire her to give back in a way that could shape a better future for others.

Before reaching that point, though, Emily was moving through life as if nothing was out of the ordinary, even as the tumor deep in the right temporal lobe of her brain continued to grow, affecting her balance, judgment, and awareness. When these signs could no longer be ignored, Emily’s friends urged her to call her primary care physician and get an MRI.

The news wasn’t what Emily expected. She was told she needed to get to the emergency room, and fast. Within 24 hours, she found herself in an operating room at Providence Swedish Cherry Hill with neurosurgeon Charles S. Cobbs, M.D., of the Ben and Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment.

Three hours later, Dr. Cobbs had removed the tumor. While working through her post-surgery fog, Emily couldn’t help but notice the compassionate care she was surrounded by.

“The doctors, the nurses, the anesthesiologists, and even the people working at the front desk, everybody took great care of me,” she says.

This experience brought clarity for Emily — not just about living, but about leaving something meaningful behind.

After being able to process what she’d been through, her gratitude deepened into purpose. Emily started to think about how she could help others survive what she nearly didn’t. That brought Emily back to Dr. Cobbs and supporting his work through a donation to Swedish Foundation through FreeWill, an online tool that makes it easy to create a legal will and estate plans and leave charitable donations.

Emily’s generous gift will help fuel Dr. Cobbs’ brain tumor research and sustain the tender, human-centered care she experienced. It hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“Philanthropy provides funds for out-of-the-box projects which are critical in terms of initiating a type of research that can lead to big breakthroughs,” Dr. Cobbs says. “This type of research is usually not fundable through standard funding mechanisms, and that is why philanthropy is so critical.”

As her life steadied, Emily read about emerging research suggesting a possible association between long-term use of Depo-Provera — a birth control injection she had received for many years — and the type of meningioma she developed. She has since joined a mass tort involving more than 3,000 other women raising similar concerns.

“I want accountability. I want justice for other women who are wondering why this happened,” she says.

But that revelation only sharpened her sense of purpose. Giving to Providence Swedish became her way of changing the odds for the next person who might unknowingly be living with hidden symptoms.

“These orphan diseases need to be funded, and they need to be researched. We’re significant and important too,” she says.

Every follow-up visit to Providence Swedish ends the same way for Emily.

“Every time I see Dr. Cobbs, I say, ‘Thank you for saving my life.’”

Her generosity ensures that the next person who arrives at Providence Swedish in fear or confusion will find more than a door: they’ll find a path forward.

“If there’s one thing I want people to take from my story, it’s that there’s hope, real hope. It’s not all doom and gloom. There are people who care, people who will show up for you, and teams like the one at Providence Swedish who treat you with such empathy that you feel safe even in the scariest moments,” Emily says. “They saved my life, and they reminded me how powerful compassion can be. That’s why I give back.”

Learn more and find a physician or advanced practice clinician (APC)

If you or a loved one have questions about cancer diagnosis, treatment or care, the experts at the Providence Swedish Cancer Institute are here for you. We can accommodate both in-person and virtual visits. To talk to someone or make an appointment, call 1-855-XCANCER.

You can also learn more about available clinical trials. Our physician investigators and researchers are involved in hundreds of ongoing trials involving most types of cancer.

Whether you require an in-person visit or want to consult a doctor virtually, you have options. Swedish Virtual Care connects you face-to-face with a nurse practitioner who can review your symptoms, provide instruction and follow up as needed. If you need to find a doctor, you can use our provider directory.

About the Swedish Foundation

Your generous gift helps support a healthy tomorrow for everyone in every community we serve. Learn about more ways to give to the Swedish Foundation or make a direct donation online at swedishfoundation.org. You can also contact the Foundation at 206-368-2738 or email foundation@swedish.org. Thank you for helping us shape the future of health care. We can’t do it without you.